Desiree Perez Is A True Power Player

Billboard announced their 2017 Digital Power Players recently and one named seemed to jump off the page: Desiree Perez. Des, as she is called by friends, is perhaps the most powerful female music executive in the business. Her recognition as a Digital Power Player stems from her being named to run Roc Nation’s subscription music streaming service, TIDAL. As the Chief Operating Officer of TIDAL, one of Des’ first moves was to agree to a deal for Sprint to acquire 33% of the company for $200 million. The deal give TIDAL access to Sprint’s 45 million customers, which has the potential to create billions of dollars in profits.

Perhaps her greatest asset is her negotiation ability. She has been the COO of Roc Nation since 2009 and has negotiate dozens of deals for the conglomerate. She has been vital to the negotiations of Beyoncé’s Foundation Stadium deal and Rihanna’s Samsung deal. She has also been involved in a number of negotiation for Roc Nation Sports clients. She helped secure a $240 million, 10-year deal for star 3rd basemen Robinson with the Seattle Mariners. Her style is said to be aggressive and she is said to be a whiz with numbers and being able to work out deals where everyone walks away a winner.

Des has been a fixture in the entertainment industry in New York City for over 20 years. A close friend and confidant of music mogul Jay-Z, Des has owned and operated a number of nightclubs and entertainment venues for two decades. Her husband Juan Perez is also in the industry, serving as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roc Nation since 2009. Her drive and passion for music and success aligns her with the biggest names in the business, and she remains unintimidated. That is the sign of a true power player.